URBANA 


t 


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ST  ATI;  OF  ILLINOIS 

DEPARTMENT  OF  REGISTRATION  AND  EDUCATION 

A.  M.  SHELTON.  Director 

DIVISION  OF  THE 
STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 

M.  M.  LEIGHTON.  Chief 
REPORT  OF  INVESTIGATIONS— NO.  15 

PRELIMINARY  REPORT  ON  THE  FULLER'S  EARTH 
DEPOSITS  OF  PULASKI  COUNTY 

BY 
J.  E.  LAMAR 


PRINTED  BY  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  STATE  OF  ILLINOIS 


URBANA,  ILLINOIS 
1928 


STATE  OF  ILLINOIS 

DEPARTMENT  OF  REGISTRATION  AND  EDUCATION 

A.  M.  SH  ELTON.  Director 

DIVISION  OF  THE 

STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 

M.  M.  LEIGHTON.  Chief 


Committee  of  the   Board  of  Natural  Resources 
and  Conservation 

A.   M.  Shelton,  Chairman 

Director  of  Registration  and  Education 

Charles  M.  Thompson 

Representing  the  President  of  the   Uni- 
versity  of   Illinois 

Eoson  S.   Bastin 
Geologist 


Jeffersons  Printing  &  STATIONER!   V» 

Springfield,  Illinois 

1928 


CONTENTS 

Page 

Introduction     7 

Acknowledgments    i. 8 

t  teology    8 

t  ieneral    stratigraphy    8 

Tin'   Porters  Creek   formation    9 

Lithologic  character 10 

Thickness     10 

Areal  distribution  10 

Puller's   earth    12 

Physical   properties    12 

\  .iluc  of  chemical  analysis 13 

Commercial    value     13 

Uses 13 

The  fuller's  earth  industry  of  Pulaski  County 13 

The    deposit    13 

The  overburden    16 

Methods   of   mining   and    milling 16 

Grades   of   fuller's   earth  produced 17 

Samples    19 

Potential  sources  of  fuller's  earth  from  the  Porters  Creek  clay 19 

The  Parm  deposit   19 

Introduction    19 

Description  of  region  and  exposure 19 

Lithologic   character  of   the    Porters   Creek 20 

Overburden    20 

Extent    of    the    deposit    20 

Samples    21 

Prospecting  and  testing   21 

Topographic    maps    22 

Mining     ■. 22 

The   Mounds   deposit    23 

Introduction     23 

Description    of    region    and    exposure 23 

Lithologic   character  and  thickness 24 

Overburden    24 

Extent  of  deposit    25 

Samples 25 

Prospecting  and   testing 25 

Alining     26 

The  Watson  deposit   26 

Location,  description  of  region  and  deposit 26 

Lithologic  character  and  thickness 26 


Thr  Watson   Deposit — Concluded 

Page 

( )verburden   ?g 

Extent  of  deposit  >tl 

Sample    27 

Prospecting  and  testing  27 

M  ining    27 

Sampling  and  testing   27 

Sampling    27 

Testing   27 

rest    for   specific   volume    28 

Test  for  apparent  acidity  28 

Tests  on  clays  from  Alexander,  Massac,  and  Pulaski  counties 28 

Tests  on  fuller's  earths  not  in  southern  Illinois 30 

I  lescription  of  samples  tested  and  not  previously  mentioned 30 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Figure 

1.  Map  of  Pulaski  County  and  the  adjoining  part  of  Alexander   County 6 

2.  The  mill  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company  of  Indiana 14 

3.  The  mill  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company  of  Indiana 14 

4.  Map  of  the  Olmstead  area    15 

5.  Fuller's  earth  in  the  mine  of  the  Sinclair  Refining  Company 16 

i>.      The  mine  of  the  Sincliar  Refining  Company 17 

7.  Sketch   map   of   the    Parm   deposit 18 

8.  Sketch  map  of  the  Mounds  deposit 25 


TABLES 

1.  Tests  on  clays  from  Alexander,  Massac,  and  Pulaski  counties 29 

2.  Tests  on  fuller's  earths  other  than  those  found  in  Illinois 30 


FIXER  S   EARTH   OF   PULASKI  COUNTY 


Fig.  1.     Map  of  Pulaski  County  and  the  adjoining  part  of  Alexander 

County. 


PRELIMINARY   REPORT  ON  THE  FULLER'S   EARTH 
DEPOSITS  OF  PULASKI  COUNTY 

By  J.  E.  Lamar 

INTRODUCTION 

\  series  of  unconsolidated  sediments,  but  little  known  elsewhere  in 
the  State,  outcrops  in  Alexander.  Massac,  and  Pulaski  counties  of  south- 
'<-"  ni«iois  (fig.  1).  To  these  sediments  the  geological  names  Cretaceous 
<  ocene,  and  Pliocene  systems  have  been  applied.  The  fuller's  earth 
deposits  form  a  part  of  the  Eocene  system. 

The  mining  of  fuller's  earth  in  Illinois  was  begun  by  the  Sinclair 
Refining  Company  at  Olmstead  in  1920,  and  later  the  Standard  Oil 
Company  of  Indiana  opened  a  mine  near  the  same  town.  Since  1920 
Illinois  has  increased  its  output  of  fuller's  earth  until,  in  1926.  only 
Georgia  and  Florida  exceeded  the  State's  production. 

The  fuller's  earth  deposit  at  Olmstead  was  generally  supposed  to 
k  the  only  one  in  southern  Illinois.  During-  reconnaissance  field  studies 
o!  the  economic  mineral  resources  of  Alexander.  Pulaski,  Union  and 
Massac  counties  in  the  summer  of  1927  three  additional  deposits  of' clay, 
which  are  similar  in  appearance  to  the  Olmstead  deposit,  were  discovered 
m  Pulaski  County.  Two  of  these  deposits  are  located  along  railroads 
■Mid  the  other  is  about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  a  railroad.  Still  other 
deposits  probably  exist  which  were  not  noted  because  of  the  recon- 
naissance character  of  the  field  work.  Only  the  territory  within  half  a 
mile  of  railroads  was  carefully  studied. 

The  Cretaceous  and  Eocene  beds  of  southern  Illinois  contain  a 
Variety  of  clays  which  possess  in  some  degree  the  essential  property 
ot  fuller's  earth,  that  is,  the  ability  to  remove  basic  colors  from  oils 
These  clay  deposits  are  not  as  thick  or  as  extensive  as  the  three  deposits 
that  are  typically  similar  to  the  Olmstead  deposits,  and  there  is  doubt 
as  to  the  practicability  of  working  such  clays  in  competition  with  known 
feller  s  earth  deposits  unless  the  clays  are  of  exceptionally  high  quality. 
This  report  is  therefore  confined  to  those  deposits  of  clay  that  are  similar 
to  the  Illinois  fuller's  earth  of  known  value. 


S  FULLERS    EARTH    OF    PULASKI    COUNTY 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

The  writer  wishes  to  acknowledge  the  willing  and  able  assistance 
of  Mr  C  E.  Dutton  in  the  field  work,  and  of  Mr.  C.  R.  Clark  in  the  lab- 
oratory work  done  in  connection  with  this  investigation;  also  the  courte- 
sies extended  by  Mr  Floyd  Cannon,  manager  of  the  fuller's  earth  plant 
of  the  Sinclair  Refining  Company,  and  by  Mr.  J.  F.  Shanley,  superintend- 
ent  of  the  plant  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company  of  Indiana.  1  o  Dr.  M.  M. 
Leio-hton  Chief  of  the  Illinois  State  Geological  Survey,  the  writer  desires 
to  express  appreciation  for  valuable   and  constructive  criticism   of   tins 

report. 

GEOLOGY 

General  Stratigraphy 

The  field  work  done  in  the  three  counties,  though  by  no  means 
detailed  stratigraphic  nature,  was  sufficient  to  indicate  the  succession  d 
formations  given  in  the  following  table.  The  sequence  outlined  check- 
well  with  the  general  stratigraphic  succession  given  for  Kentucky  an 
Tennessee1     Usually  it  is  difficult  to  determine  exactly  the  contacts 
any  of  the  formations  given  below,  yet  they  are  recognizable  as  genen 
units  of  sandy  or  clayey  sediments.  The  correlations  with  the   1  ennes.ee 
and  Kentucky  sections  are  on  the  basis  of  lithology  alone,  inasmuch  a- 
fossils  are  extremely  rare. 

Generalized  section  of  post-Paleozoic  sediments  of  Alexander, 
Pulaski   and  Massac   counties 

RCC  GraS-d.   ■*  and  clay  in  the  flood-plains  of  present   streams,  particu.arl, 

Mississippi,  Ohio,  and  Cache  rivers. 
Tlcistocene  system 

Loess   formation  .  .         :„ianH    from 

Loess,   brown,    noncalcareous,    found    principalis    some    miles    mland 

hroad  alluvial   flats.  ii„w;.| 

Loess    gray,  found  on  the  margins  of  the  highlands  bordering  the alluml 
flai,     noncalcareous;   especial!,    well    developed   south  ol    Gale    « 
ander  County,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Cache  in  the  same  County. 

Colt:;  i::;;:tz^M  g^  ^  *,,  or  ^,  *«.  *******  «- 

and  Clay;  visible  in  cuts  along  Illinois  Central   Ra.lroad  about   A  mfle 
south  of  Villa   Ridge  in   Pulaski  County,  and  in  the  ..ravel  pit  ol  I 
Elco  Gravel  Company  at  Elco,  Alexander  (  ounty. 


i  Glenn. 'I,   C    CJndergro 1  waters  ol  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  -^ofjen; 

River  and  of  an  adjacent    ««a  In  JJImJ       <      • 
trrigation    Paper,    No     164,    pp.    21-51,    1906. 


FULLERS    EARTH    OF    PULASK]    COUNTY  f 

Pliocene  s\  stem 

(  olluvium 

Clay,  red  and  brown,  containing  sand,  gravel  or  angular  sandstone  frag- 
ments; best  developed  near  Round  Knob,  Massac  County. 
"I  .afayette"  formation 

(  herl  gravel,  polished,  brown,  let-ally  underlain  by  a  very  coarse  red  sand; 
red    sand   and   gravel    well    developed   at    Fayville,    Alexander    County; 
gravel  well  developed  south  of  Unity,  and  at  Mounds,  Pulaski  County, 
and  al    Metropolis  and  Round   Knob,  Massac  County. 
Eoci  ne  system 

Lagrange  formation 

Clays,  doniinantly  white,  pinkish,  greenish  or  gray,  with  interbedded  sands, 
and  thin  gravel  strata  locally;  also  thin  lignite  or  lignitic  beds.  The 
clays  worked  at  Kaolin,  Union  County,  are  probably  part  of  this  forma- 
tion, also  the  elay,  sand  and  thin  gravels  exposed  along  Mississippi 
River  between  Fayville  and  Thebes  in  Alexander  County,  and  the 
clays  and  sands  along  the  Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  Chicago  and  St.  Louis 
Railway  northeast  of  Grand  Chain  in  Pulaski  County. 
Porters   Creek  formation 

t  lay,  gray-black  or  blue-gray,  dominantly  buff-gray,  locally  sandy  in  the 
basal  portion.  The  upper  part  of  this  formation  is  the  source  of  the 
fuller's  earth  at  Olmstead.  It  also  outcrops  a  few  miles  south  of 
Unity,  at  Mounds,  and  about  2  miles  east  of  Villa  Ridge,  all  in  Pulaski 
County. 
Cretaceous  system 
Ripley  formation 

Sands,  fine-  to  medium-grained,  micaceous,  locally  yellow,  with  thin  interbedded 
clays.  The  basal  portion  contains  sandy  clays.  The  sandy  phase  of 
this  formation  is  well  exposed  at  Dam  53  northeast  of  Olmstead,  at 
Post  Creek  cut-off,  and  northeast  of  Olmstead  in  Pulaski  County;  the 
sandy  clays  at  Round  Knob  and  Choat  in  Massac  County. 

The  Porters  Creek  Formation 

The  Porters  Creek  clay  is  persistent  both  lithologically  and  strati- 
graphically.  It  does  not  become  plastic  when  wet  and  consequently 
does  not  slump  and  slide  as  do  the  majority  of  the  Cretaceous- 
Tertiary  clays.  In  a  number  of  logs  of  wells  drilled  in  Alexander  and 
Pulaski  counties  the  Porters  Creek  is  described  as  gray  or  blue  shale  or 
marl,  and  from  the  description  and  its  thickness  is  easily  recognized. 
Neither  the  upper  or  lower  contacts  of  the  Porters  Creek  were  observed 
but  it  is  thought  to  be  unconformable  with  the  Ripley  below  and  con- 
formable with  the  Lagrange  above.  The  basal  unconformity  results  in 
considerable  irregularity  in  the  base  of  the  formation  and  therefore  great 
variation   in   thickness. 


10 


FULLER'S    EARTH    OF    PULASKI    COUNTY 


MTIIOLOGIC    CHARACTER 


The  Porters  Creek,  as  seen  in  outcrop,  is  a  massive  gray-black. 
buff  or  gray,  micaceous,  clay.  It  is  very  tough  when  wet  and  develops 
a  slippery  surface  but  does  not  become  plastic  except  after  thorough 
kneading.  Because  of  this  property  it  stands  in  unusually  steep  faces 
where  topographic  conditions  are  favorable.  The  formation  consists  ol 
two  distinct  units,  an  upper  15  to  40  feet  of  gray  or  buff,  very  slightly 
sandy  clay,  and  a  lower  40  to  65  feet  of  blue-gray  or  gray-black,  com- 
monly sandy  clay.     The  upper  gray  portion  is  that  mined  and  sold  a8 

fuller's  earth. 

\n  outstanding  feature  of  the  Porters  Creek,  observed  in  outcrops, 
is  its  concretionary  or  nodular  structure  which  is  especially  well  shown 
in  the  weathered  exposures  of  the  upper  gray  portion  of  the  formation. 
As  a  result  of  this  structure  the  talus  developed  from  the  gray  Porten 
Creek  is  composed  typically  of  conchoidal  or  shell-shaped  fragments 
Bedding  occurs  but  on  the  whole  is  not  well  developed  except  as  a  gross 
feature  Vertical  or  nearly  vertical  jointing  is  pronounced  in  some  areas 
and  is  usually  accompanied  by  iron  stains  along  the  joint  planes. 

THICKNESS 

Where  the  Porters  Creek  is  well  developed,  as  at  Cairo,  its  thicknesj 
varies  from  112  to  about  130  feet.  The  formation  apparently  thins  t 
the  north  and  northeast  for  at  Mound  City  it  is  100  feet  thick  as  re- 
corded in  a  water  well,  and  at  Olmstead  80  feet  and  less  At  Mounds 
65  feet  of  Porters  Creek  was  encountered  below  55  feet  ot  alluvial  gravels 
but  this  is  not  thought  to  represent  the  entire  thickness  of  the  formation 

in  that  area.  _      ,   .        • 

The  sand  contained  in  the  upper  30  feet  ol  the  Porters  C  reek  is  pn* 
cipallv  quartz  with  very  small  amounts  of  zircon  and  tourmaline.     Th 
lower" portion  of  the  formation  is  the  more  sandy  part,  and  in  the  cxtren 
basal  portion  the  formation  contains  thin  interbedded  sand  strata. 

AREAL    DISTRIBUTION 

Extensive  natural  exposures  of  the   Porter,  Creek  are  rare  because 

the  overlying  Lagrange  formation  contains  many  very  plastic  clays  and 

( 1      ucntlv  slumps  Lily.     Beginning  at  Olmstead    where  the  upper 

nart  of  the  Porters  Creek  is  mined  as  fuller's  earth,  the  formation 

"I,  d  apparent.v  thins,  to  the  east.    At  Caledonia  Landing   a  very 

non   dLtance1  northea.     of    the     fuller,     ^.P^Y^^oS 

McNairy  sands  of  the  Ripley  formation  appear  ,n  the  base  ol  the  OS 

River  bluff,  and  still  farther  northeast  they  form  the  major  portion  ol 


FULLER'S    EARTH    OF    PULASKI    county  11 

pie  bluff.  The  base  of  the  Porters  Creek  is  very  irregular  so  that  the 
thin  marginal  portion  ol  the  formation  has  a  "pockety"  distribution.  It 
Is  thoughl  to  be  thin  northeast  from  ( Hmstead  in  the  direction  of  ECarnak. 
Clays  and  sands,  apparently  of  Lagrange  age,  which  arc  exposed  in  the 
railroad  cut  about  a  mile  northeast  of  Grand  Chain,  suggest  that  the 
Porters  Creek  may  be  present  at  a  shallow  depth  in  this  vicinity  if  it  lias 
not  pinched  out. 

Southwest  from  Olmstead  the  Porters  Creek  is  thought  to  extend 
almost  due  southwest  to  Mounds,  with  small  outcrops  about  two  and  a 
half  miles  east  of  Villa  Ridge  and  just  north  of  Mounds.  From  Mounds 
the  outcrop  probably  trends  northward  along  the  east  side  of  Cache 
KJver  and  may  be  seen  about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Unity.  From 
this  point  north  the  formation  is  visible  for  but  a  short  distance  and 
either  disappears  under  the  alluvium  of  Cache  Creek  or  pinches  out 

The  accompanying  well  logs  show  that  the  depth  to  the  Porters 
Creek  is  180  feet  at  Mound  City  and  375  feet  at  Cairo.  Between  the 
cities  of  Mounds  and  Cairo,  a  distance  of  about  eight  miles,  the  forma- 
tion dips  about  380  feet,  or  48  feet  per  mile.  From  Mound  City  to  Cairo 
the  dip  is  about  25  feet  per  mile,  indicating  that  the  dip  of  the  beds  is 
principally  south  or  southwest. 

Log  of  Ice  Plant  well  at  Mound  City 

Thickness  Depth 

Feet  Feet 

6.     Clay,    surface 20  20 

5.     Gravel  and  sand  '. 160  180 

4.     Shale,  blue    - 100  280 

3.     Sand,    dark    25  305 

2.     Gravel _ 300  605 

1.     Limestone 45  650 

Red  6  of  the  above  log'  is  probably  river  alluvium.  Bed  5  is  thought 
to  be  river  gravel,  "Lafayette"  gravel,  and  Lagrange  sand.  The  blue 
shale,  bed  4,  is  the  Porters  Creek  and  bed  3  the  Ripley  sand.  The  gravel, 
bed  2,  is  probably  fractured  Clear  Creek  chert  similar  to  that  outcropping 
near  Olive  Branch.  Bed  1  is  probably  the  Backbone  limestone.  Both 
beds  1  and  2  are  of  Devonian  age.  in  contrast  with  the  overlying  beds 
which  are  of  Cretaceous,  and  later  age.     (See  geologic  column,  pp.  8-9.) 


12 


FULLER'S    EARTH    OF    PULASKI    COUNTY 


Log  of  well  at  Cairo  Electric  Light  and  Power  Company,  Cairo 

Thickness  Depth 

Feet  l:cct 

12.     Soil    •    4-S  J.S 

11.     Clay,  sandy,  blue  "  3U^  "_ 

10.     Sand    and    gravel 

9.     Sand,  with  "kaolin"  partings  

8.     "Kaolin"      '""" 

7.     Sand,    with    a    thin     layer    of    "kaolin"    and     traces     ot 

,.      .,  240  *)/4 

hgmte    124  498 

6.     Shale,  or  marl,  slate  colored     ' 

-  <su  j  1 0 

5.     Sand,  very  soit .,, 

4.  Shale  and  lignite  partings  ^ 

3.  Chert  or  chert  gravel  

2.  Chert  pebbles  ...  j  (')4() 

1.  Sandstone,  reddish,  calcareous  

The  above  log  is  correlated  as  follows :  beds  12  and  11 .  probably  rivei 
alluvium;  bed  10,  probably  river-deposited  sand  and  some  "Lafayette 
gravel;  beds  9,  8,  and  7,  Lagrange  formation;  bed  6.  Porters  Creek  clay; 
beds  5  and  4,  Ripley  formation ;  beds  3,  2,  and  1 .  Clear  Creek  chert.     L  h 
lower  part  of  bed  1  may  be  a  siliceous  phase  of  the  Backbone  limestone. 
though  the  red  color  is  suggestive  more  of  the   Clear  Creek  than  th< 
Backbone  formation-     Beds  1,  2.  and  3  are  Devonian  in  age    the  other, 
of  Cretaceous,  and  later  age.     (See  geologic  column,  pp.  8-  U 

FULLER'S  EARTH 
Physical  Properti es 
The  term  fuller's  earth  was  originally  applied  to  clay  used  for  tnlln 
woolen  cloth.     As  used  at  present,  however,  it  describes  a  highly  s,l 
clay  usually  indurated,  which  has  the  property  of  absorbing  certain  basic 
colors  from  oils.     Fuller's  earth  is  generally  not  plastic  until  ground,  and 
when  thoroughly  dry  will  float  in  water  because  ot   its  high  porosity. 
Because  of  this  property  it  appears  to  be  of  very  light  weight  though 
its  true  specific  gravity  is  close  to  that  of  other  clay.     It  is  commonty 
brittle,  and  buff,  gray,  or  dark  .ray  in  color.     The  light-colored  cart,, 
are  generally  considered  of  higher  quality  than  the  darker  earths. 

The  exact  manner  in  which  fuller's  earth  removes  basic  colors  from 
oils  is  not  precisely  known,  but  it  is  thought  to  be  "a  combination id 
adsorption  and  mechanical  filtration  accompanied  by  some  chemica       . 
integration  Cue  to  selective  adsorption.    The  active  constituents 
earth  are  probably  hydrous  silica  and  hydrous  aluminum  silicates.     Gfc 


I'S    I    VRTH    01     PI  I. ASKI    COUNTY  13 

porous  nature  of  the  earth,  due  to  the  fact  that  it  is  built  up  of  grains 
approaching  colloidal  size,  offers  large  active  surface-"" 

Value  of  Chemical  Analyses 

In  general,  a  chemical  analysis  of  a  sample  of  fuller's  earth  is  of 
little  value  to  indicate  its  absorptive  power  except  as  the  analysis  shows 
the  amount  of  hydrous  silica  or  silicates  present.  It  also  indicates,  in  a 
general  way,  what  impurities  are  present,  hut  these  may  often  be  more 
easily  determined  by  a  study  of  the  silt  and  sand  residues  separated  by 
mechanical  analysis- 

(  o\i mercial  Value 

The  commercial  value  of  an  earth  depends  on  its  bleaching  power. 
Some  earths  are  capable  of  bleaching  both  vegetable  and  mineral  oils, 
hut  most  earths  are  suited  best  to  filtering  one  or  the  other  type  of  oil. 

Uses 

As  stated,  the  most  important  use  of  fuller's  earth  is  that  of  clari- 
fying or  filtering  mineral  and  vegetable  oils,  fats,  and  greases.  It  is  also 
"said  to  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  pigments  for  printing  wall  paper, 
in  detecting  certain  coloring  matters  in  some  food  products,  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  talcum  powder,  and  in  medicine  as  a  poultice  and  as  an  anti- 
dote  for  alkaloid  poisons."3 


Til]-:  FILLER'S  EARTH  INDUSTRY  OF  PULASKI  COUNTY 

The  fuller's  earth  industry  of  Illinois  is  centered  at  Olmstead  in 
Pulaski  County  (figs.  1  and  4)  where  the  Sinclair  Refining  Company 
and  the  Standard  Oil  Company  of  Indiana  operate  mines  and  mills 
(figs.  2,  3,  5,  and  6).     Both  mines  are  located  in  the  same  deposit. 

The  Deposit 

The  general  ground-plan  of  the  fuller's  earth  operations  and  the 
vicinity  is  shown  in  figure  4.  From  the  mines  of  the  Sinclair  Refining 
Company  the  deposit  dips  to  the  southwest  and  in  the  mine  of  the  Stand- 
ard Oil  Company  is  occurs  at  a  somewhat  lower  elevation.  Further 
southwest  the  formation  continues  to  lower  until  it  merges  into  the 
flood-plain  and  low  bluffs  bordering  Ohio  River.     Northeast  of  the  Sin- 


2  Maynard,  T.  I'.,  and  Vlallorv.  L.  C,  Commercial  preparation  and  uses  of  fuller's 
earth:   Chem.   and  Met.   En?.,   vol.    26,   No.   23,   pp.   1074-1076.   June   7,    1922. 

~  Middleton.  J.,  Fuller's  earth  in  1926:  U.  S.  Bur.  Mines,  Mineral  Resources  1926, 
Pt    II.    p.    10.    July   18,    1927. 


14 


FULLERS    KAKII1    OF    PULASKI    COUNTY 


Fig.  2. 


The  mill  and  incline  to  the  mine  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company 
Indiana,   Olmstead,   Illinois 


Fig.  3.     The  mill  of  the  Standard  <  >il  Companj   of  Indiana, 
Olmstead,  Illinois 


FULLER'S    EARTH    hi     PI   I. ASM    COUNTY 


15 


dair  Refining  Company's  mine  the  deposit  rises  sharply  to  the  north 
or  northeast.  About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  southwest  of  Caledonia  Landing 
the  Porters  Creek  formation  forms  the  river  bluff  just  above  the  level 
of  the  Hood  plain.     At  the  landing  30  feet  of  Ripley  sands  and  silts  is 


1  mile 


Fig.  4.     Map  of  the  Olmstead  area 


exposed  below  the  Porters  Creek.  In  sec.  13  the  Porters  Creek  formation 
has  thinned  to  such  an  extent  that  only  a  feather  edge  remains,  probably 
the  thin  beds  of  the  basal  portion  which  are  sandy  and  interbedded  with 
sand  and  clay. 

Conspicuous  settling  and  creep  has  occurred  along  the  margin  of 
the  Ohio  River  bluff,  particularly  where  the  underlying  Ripley  sands 
and  silts  form  the  lower  part  of  the  bluff.  In  the  mines,  however,  where 
the  formation  is  best  exposed,  it  shows  but  little  slumping  or  creeping. 

The  top  of  the  Porters  Creek  is  fairly  level,  but  is  irregular  enough 
to  cause  a  variation  of  from  15  to  40  feet  in  the  thickness  of  the  upper 
white,  or  light  buff  zone,  of  the  formation. 


16 


FULLERS    EARTH    <>l     PULASKI    COUNTY 


The  best  fuller's  eartli  is  found  in  the  upper  huff  or  light  gray  por- 
tion of  the  PorTers  Creek  formation.  The  lower  portion,  which  is  dark 
gray  or  blue-gray,  is  commonly  inferior  in  quality  to  the  gray  earth,  due 
probably  to  it's"  higher  sand  content  and  a  difference  in  the  quantity 
and  character  of  the  colloidal  material  present.  The  gray  color  of  the 
upper  earth  is  apparently  due  to  weathering,  tor  the  greatest  thicknes 
appear  to  occur  in  those  tract--  that  arc  highest  with  reference  t> 
major  drainage  lines  of  the  region. 


■'.: 


Fig.  5.     Fuller's  earth  in  the  mine  of  the   Sinclair    Refining   Company, 
Olmstead,  Illinois 


The  upper  gray  fuller's  earth  exhibits  gross  features  of  bedding  hut 
is  nodular  and  fractured  by  vertical  or  nearly  vertical  joints  (fig-  5). 
Because  of  the  nodular  character  of  the  deposit  the  material  appears 
to  have  a  conchoidal  fracture.  Parts  of  the  deposits  an-  speckled  with 
brown  spots  of  iron  stain  and  similar  staining  is  found  alone;  many  of 
the  joint  planes. 

Till:    <  '\  !  RBl'RDI  N 

The  overburden  at  both  the  Sinclair  Refining  Company's  mine 
(fig.  6)  and  the  Standard  (  )il  Company's  mine  consists  of  3  to  5  feet  ol 
clayey,  brown  chert  gravel,  overlain  by  10  to  25  feet  of  loess.  As  tin 
deposits  are  worked  back  into  the  hills  it  is  probable  that  clays  and  sands 
of  the  overlying  Lagrange  formation  will  be  encountered. 

Methods  of  Mining  and  Milling 

Both  mines  are  operated  as  open  pits;  stripping  and  loading  is  bj 

--team    shovel    (fig.   6).       The   mine   cars   are   pulled    up    the   incline   to  the 


EARTH    01     PULASKI    COUNT? 


17 


pi, mi  h\  cable  (fig.  2)  and  dumped  into  a  bin  which  feeds  by  a  chain, 
or  plate  feed,  into  a  wet  roll  crusher.  In  the  Sinclair  Refining  Company's 
mill  the  earth  from  the  crusher  is  elevated  to  a  bin  and  spouted  to  rotary 
driers  which  discharge  to  bucket  elevators.  'These  convey  the  earth  to 
bins  which  discharge  to  pulverizers.  From  the  pulverizers  the  earth  is 
transferred  bv  an  air  injector  system  to  the  dust  collectors,  from  which 


Fig.  6.  The  mine  of  the  Sinclair  Refining  Company,  showing  the  method 
of  loading,  the  overburden,  and  genera!  character  of  the  deposit. 
Olmstead,  Illinois. 


it   goes  to   Ro-tex  screens.     From   the  screens   the   earth   goes   to   bins 
which  discharge  to  the  sacking  machines- 

In  the  Standard  Oil  Company's  mill  the  earth  from  the  crusher  is 
clc\ated  and  spouted  directly  to  rotary  driers.  These  discharge  to 
bucket  elevators,  which  convey  the  earth  to  bins  from  which  it  is  dis- 
tributed to  the  pulverizers.  Bucket  elevators  transfer  the  earth  from 
the  pulverizers  to  Ro-tex  screens  and  flour  mill  sifters  which  discharge 
to  the  sacking  machines. 

Grades  of  Fuller's  Earth  Produced 

The  pulverized  earth  is  produced  in  four  standard  grades,  namely : 
Through     16  mesh,  retained  on  30  mesh 
Through    30  mesh,  retained  on  60  mesh 
Through     o()  mesh,  retained  on  90  mesh 
Through  100  mesh. 
It  is  sold  in  sacks  holding  100  to  200  pounds  and  is  used  for  clarify- 
ing mineral,  vegetable,  and  animal  oils.       The  capacity  of  the  plant  of 
the  Sinclair  Refining  Company  is  200  tons  in  24  hours,  and  of  the  plant 
of  the  Standard  Oil  Company  120  tons  in  24  hours. 


18 


FULLER  S    EARTH    OF    PULASKI    COUNTY 


R.2    W. 


R.  1   W. 


Fig.  7.     Sketch  map  of  the  Parm  deport 
I  >ESCRIPTI<  >.\    i  IF    L(  iC  AUTIKS 


i  Lafayette  gravel 

2.  Lagrange    sand 

3.  Gray-black  fuller's  earth 
i  Graj    fuller's  earth 


Gravel   pit,   "Lafayette"  gravi i 


Light  gray  fuller's  earth 
Parm  house 

Light  gray  fuller's  earth 
Gravel  pit  "Lafayette"  gravel 


fuller's  earth   of  pulaski  county  l9 

Sam  pi.es 

The  Olmstead  Euller's  earth  is  known  to  be  oi  high  quality  and 
samples  were  therefore  taken  from  the  mine  of  the  Sinclair  Refining 
Company,  as  indicated  below,  to  serve  as  a  basis  lor  comparison  with 
other  fuller's  earths  of  southern  Illinois. 

Sample  63 — west   quarry   face, 

Sample  64— lower  25  feet  of  dark  gray  earth.     Nut  being  quarried. 

Sample  65     south  quarry  face. 

Sample  66     prepared  earth   from  mill. 


POTENTIAL  SOURCES  OF  FULLER'S  EARTH  FROM  TIM'. 
PORTERS  CREEK  CLAY 

Tin-:  I'arm  Deposit 

[NTRODUCTION 

Exposures  of  the  Porters  Creek  formation  on  the  Farm  farm,  and 
therefore  referred  to  as  the  "I'arm  deposit,"  occur  in  the  SW.  *4  sec-  7, 
T.  16  S.,  R.  1  \\\.  and  in  the  SE-  corner  sec.  12,  T.  16  S..  R.  2  W.  (fig.  1  >. 
As  shown  in  figure  7  the  deposit  lies  about  one  and  three  quarters  miles 
south  of  Unity  on  the  east  side  of  Cache  River. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  REGION"   AND  EXPOSURES 

In  this  region  the  Cache  flows  in  a  channel  along  the  east  margin 
of  its  flood-plain.  It  is  bordered  on  the  east  side  by  bluffs,  in  some  places 
steep,  elsewhere  moderately  gentle.  In  the  specific  area  of  the  Parm 
deposit  the  flood-plain  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  is  comparatively 
narrow  (fig.  7)  and  is  locally  succeeded  by  a  low  terrace.  At  locality  7, 
figure  7.  this  terrace  is  composed  of  gray  fuller's  earth,  which  outcrops 
along  small  valleys  intersecting  the  terrace  and  forms  talus  on  the  frontal 
slopes  of  the  terrace  itself.  At  locality  5,  where  the  terrace  and  bluff 
appear  to  have  combined,  a  similar  grav  fuller's  earth  is  visible  in  the 
small  washes. 

East  of  the  terrace  is  the  bluff  of  the  east  valley-slope.  This  is  for 
the  most  part  covered  by  vegetation,  but  some  of  the  small  valleys,  as 
at  locality  1.  and  gravel  pits,  8  and  9,  expose  brown  chert  gravels  and 
associated  red  or  yellow  sands  of  the  "Lafayette"  formation.  Other 
valleys  contain  outcrops  of  white  or  gray  sands  thought  to  be  part  of 
the  Lagrange  formation.    The  following  section  is  exposed  at  locality  2 : 


20  filler's  earth  of  pulaski  county 

Thickness 
Feet 
"Lafayette  formation" 

Gravel,  composed  of  white  and  brown  chert  1 

Lagrange  formation 

Sand,  white,  clayey,   fine-  to  medium-grained- 4 

Sand,  yellow,  clayey,  fine-  to  medium-grained 5 

Covered 
Some  of  the  valleys  cutting  back  into  the  bluff  also  expose  fuller's 
earth,  and  at  3  about  7  feet  of  gray-black  Porters  Creek  clay  outcrops 
in  the  west  bank  of  a  small  valley. 

LITHOLOGIC    CHARACTER   OF   THE    PORTERS    CREEK 

From  an  examination  of  the  scattered  and  small  outcrops  of  the 
I 'niters  Creek  formation  in  the  Parm  deposit  it  appears  that  the  forma- 
tion is  similar  to  that  at  Olmstead,  and  consists  of  an  upper  light  gra) 
or  buff  member  underlain  by  a  gray-black  basal  portion.  The  upper 
member  is  probably  not  over  30  feet  thick  in  the  Parm  deposit  and  will 
doubtless  be  found  to  vary  considerably  in  thickness,  depending  on 
whether  it  has  been  subject  to  much  or  little  river  erosion.  The  upper 
gray  portion  of  the  formation  has  the  same  general  physical  character- 
istics as  that  mined  at  Olmstead,  particularly  the  nodular  character  and 
the  property  of  weathering  into  thick  conchoidal  or  shell-like  fragments. 
The  lower  gray-black  member  is  also  similar  to  the  lower  member  at 
Olmstead.  No  data  are  available  to  indicate  the  thickness  of  this  part 
of  the  formation. 

OVI  RBURDEN 

As  indicated,  the  overburden  on  the  Porters  Creek  in  the  bluff 
area  consists  of  sands,  gravel,  and  loess.  The  thickness  varies  from  a 
few  feet  at  the  riverward  margin  of  the  bluff  to  a  maximum  thickness 
estimated  at  between  40  and  60  feet  in  the  higher  parts  of  the  bluff  and 
upland.  In  the  terrace  tract  the  overburden  is  thin,  probably  not  more 
than  three  feet  in  most  places,  and  in  many  places  less  than  a  foot.  The 
exposed  overburden  on  the  terrace  consisted  of  river  silt  and  soil,  but 
near  the  base  of  the  bluff  it  is  probable  that  some  sand  and  gravel. 
washed  on  to  the  terrace  from  tin-  bluff,  will  also  be  found. 

EXTENT   OK    DEP0S1  r 

The  approximate  extent  of  the  Parm  deposit,  as  known  from  out- 
crops  of  the  Porters  Creek  formation,  is  shown  in  figure  7.  The  deposit 
probabl)  extends  further  northeast  than  shown  and  also  somewhat  fur- 


FULLER'S    EARTH    OF    PULASKI    COUNTV  21 

ther  southeast.  The  Porters  (reck,  however,  disappears  in  the  bluff 
ra>t  of  Unity  about  one  and  three  quarters  miles  farther  north,  either 
because  it  pinches  out  or  dips  below  the  level  of  the  flood-plain  of  Cache 
River.  To  the  southeast,  outcrops,  if  present,  were  concealed  by  a  mass 
of  vegetation  and  by  slope  wash  at  the  time  the  area  was  visited.  It 
seems  probable,  however,  that  the  formation  extends  in  this  direction, 
but  for  what  distance  it  remains  above  the  level  of  the  flood-plain  of  the 
river  is  not  known. 

The  area  west  of  Cache  River  is  all  a  part  of  the  river  flood-plain 
and  consequently,  though  the  lower  part  of  the  Porters  Creek  probably 
underlies  the  alluvial  filling  of  the  flood-plain  tract,  there  are  no  data  to 
indicate  its  depth  or  character. 

SAMPLES 

It  is  impossible  to  determine  accurately  the  character  of  the  Parm 
deposit  without  digging  test-pits  to  obtain  samples  from  the  entire  ver- 
tical thickness  of  the  deposit.  However,  three  samples  were  taken  to 
indicate  what  certain  parts  of  the  deposit  would  test,  and  to  show,  if 
possible,  whether  further  sampling,  as  outlined  below,  would  be  war- 
ranted. Sample  35  was  taken  from  locality  3;  sample  35a  from  locality 
5 ;  and  sample  36  from  locality  4.  The  results  of  the  tests  made  on  these 
samples  (p.  29)  indicate  that  the  dark  gray  earth  from  locality  3  and  the 
gray  earth  from  locality  5  are  about  the  same  in  regard  to  specific  volume. 
Sample  35  has  the  higher  apparent  acidity-  In  these  properties  the 
samples  compare  favorably  with  the  earth  from  Olmstead.  Sample  36 
has  an  apparent  aciditv  comparable  with  the  other  samples  but  has  a 
somewhat  higher  specific  volume. 

Samples  of  gray  fuller's  earth  from  this  deposit  were  tested  at  the 
Mississippi  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College  and  were  reported  to 
be  an  excellent  grade  of  earth  for  bleaching  vegetable  oils,  leaving  them 
water  white,  but  having  practically  no  effect  on  mineral  oils.4 

TROSPECTING   AND   TESTING 
INTRODUCTION 

Though  it  appears  from  the  foregoing  discussion  that  there  is  proba- 
bly a  workable  deposit  of  fuller's  earth  in  the  area  discussed,  it  is  highly 
recommended  that  thorough  prospecting  and  testing  of  the  deposit  be 
undertaken  before  a  mine  or  mill  is  put  into  operation.  This  prospecting 
should  take  into  account  the  thickness,  character  and  distribution  of  the 


■4  Personal  communication,  A.  M.  Davis,   International  Silica  Company,  Cairo,  Illinois, 
Oct.   IS,   1927. 


11  II   LLERS    EARTH    OK    PULASKI    COUNTY 

gray  fuller'-  earth,  and  the  overburden.  Should  the  gray-black  clay 
beneath  the  gray  earth  be  found  to  be  valuable,  the  data  secured  con- 
cerning the  gray  earth  and  overburden  will  furnish  information  on  the 
gray-black  clay  also.  The  data  obtained  from  the  prospecting  will  serve 
as  a  basis  for  directing  the  exploitation  of  the  deposit,  and  for  estimating 
resources. 

TEST  DRIL]  ISC 

In  order  to  thoroughly  test  the  deposit  it  is  suggested  that  test-h- 
he  diilled  on  the  terrace  tract  and  on  the  portion  of  the  bluff  that  borders 
the  terrace.  The  hole-  should  he  drilled  about  500  feet  apart  and  equi- 
distant. All  tests  should  penetrate  all  of  the  gray  earth  and  at  least 
uiic  should  he  carried  through  the  gray-black  clay  to  ascertain  its  char- 
acter. In  test-drilling  it  is  desirable  that  a  practically  continuous  core 
of  the  formations  penetrated  he  obtained,  in  order  that  a  complete 
description  of  the  deposit  may  he  made  and  that  representative  samples 
may  he  available  for  laboratory  tests.  A  portable  diamond-drill,  capable 
ci  taking  3-inch  cores  to  a  depth  of  about  100  feet,  would  serve  very 
well  for  testing  this  deposit.  If  the  laboratory  tests  on  the  cores  indicate 
that  the  fuller's  earth  is  of  good  quality,  and  the  size,  character  and  shape 
(if  the  deposit  are  favorable  for  commercial  exploitation,  it  would  doubt- 
less be  advisable  to  dig  a  pit  in  a  representative  part  of  the  deposit  in 
order  to  obtain  a  sample  of  such  size  that  it  could  be  tested  in  commercial 
filters. 

TOPOGRAPHIC    MAI'S 

Such  small  scale  topographic  maps  as  are  available6  will  be  of  value 
in  directing  preliminary  development  work.  If,  however,  tests  on  the 
samples  prove  the  deposit  of  commercial  value,  it  is  highly  desirable  that 
a  topographic  map  be  made  which  will  indicate  in  detail  the  surlicial 
features  of  the  deposit.  This  ma])  should  be  made  on  a  conveniently 
large  scale,  for  instance,  1  inch  to  500  feet,  and  for  the  deposit  under 
consideration  should  have  a  contour  interval  of  5  feet. 

MINI  M. 

It  i>  impossible,  from  the  limited  data  available  concerning  the  de- 
tails of  the  I'arm  deposit,  to  specify  just  where  and  how  mining  should 
be  undertaken.  Attention  may  be  called,  however,  to  some  factors  which 
should  hr  considered  in  outlining  open  pit  mining  operations.    The  mine 


Topographic  maps  of  the  northern  third  of  Pulaski  County  the  Jonesboro  and 
Dongola  quadrangles  are  now  available.  The  quadrangles  covering  tin-  remainder  of 
the  county,  the  Thebes  and  Mounds  quadrangles,  are  In  the  course  "f  preparation  and 
maj  be  secured  when  printed  bj  addressing  tin-  Chief,  Illinois  State  Geological  Survey, 
Urbana,   Illinois, 


PULLER'S    EARTH    hi     miasm    COUNTV  23 

will  probably  be  worked  so  that  its  bottom  will  be  at  or  below  the  level 
of  the  flood-plain  of  Cache  River,  Inasmuch  as  tins  flood-plain  is  subject 
in  overflow  at  times  of  high  water,  precautions  should  be  taken  to  pre- 
vent flooding"  of  the  mine  at  such  times.  It  is  probable  that  the  stripping 
and  waste  material  involved  in  opening  the  deposit  will  be  sufficient  to 
construct  a  levee  along  the  west  margin  til"  the  deposit.  The  precise 
placing  oi  the  levee  can  be  best  determined  from  the  topographic  map. 
This  levee  can  be  repaired  or  added  to  with  overburden  incident  to 
stripping  as  the  deposit  is  worked. 

The  surface  water  from  the  bluff  tract  is  normally  cared  for  by  small 
gulleys  running  from  the  bluffs,  through  the  terrace,  to  the  Cache.  The 
disposal  of  this  run-off  demands  serious  consideration.  Possibly  a  ditch 
at  the  foot  of  the  bluff,  so  located  as  to  intercept  the  water  before  it 
gets  on  to  the  terrace,  and  to  discharge  at  some  convenient  place  into 
Cache  River,  would  be  effective- 

From  the  data  at  hand  there  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  steam-shovel 
stripping  and  loading-  as  practised  at  Olmstead  should  not  be  feasible 
lure.  The  location  of  the  mill  for  drying-  and  grinding  the  earth  will 
depend  on  information  obtained  during  the  exploration  work.  It  would 
seem  desirable,  however,  to  locate  the  mill  along  the  Mobile  and  Ohio 
Railroad  on  the  west  side  of  Cache  River,  and  bring  the  raw  fuller's 
earth  across  the  river  to  the  plant. 

The  Mounds  Deposit 

introduction 

The  deposit  near  Mounds,  described  as  the  Mounds  deposit,  is  lo- 
cated near  the  center  of  the  E.  x/2  E.  y2  sec.  16,  T.  16  S.,  R.  1  W.  (figs. 
1  and  8).  The  extent  of  this  deposit  is  not  known  but  its  favorable  loca- 
tion topographically  and  with  reference  to  transportation  make  it  worthy 
of  testing. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  REGION  AND  EXPOSURES 

The  exposure  of  Porters  Creek  clay,  thought  to  be  fuller's  earth, 
occurs  in  a  small  gullev  in  the  bottom  of  one  of  several  gravel  pits 
operated  by  Mr.  C.  F.  Wheeler.  These  gravel  pits  are  located  in  a  south- 
facing,  comparatively  gentle  bluff  that  extends  to  the  east  and  west  of 
the  gravel  pits.  A  composite  section  of  the  formations  exposed  in  the 
gravel  pits  follows : 


_M  FULLER'S    EARTH    hi     PULASK]    C01    \TV 

Thickness 
Feet 

Pleistocene  system 
Loess  formation 

Loess,  dark  graj    5  to  20 

Loess,  brown trace       to  10 

Pliocene  system 

Lafayette  formation 

Gravel,  chert,  brown,  and  interbedded  sand.  The  sand  is  rounded, 
white,  yellow  and  red.  It  occurs  in  lenticular  deposits  and  locally 
contains  claj    lenses  5  to  1? 

Eocene  system 

Lagrange  formation 

(  lay,  buff  and   pink,   .-illy  3   to      5 

Porters  Creek  formation 

Clay,  gray-black  3 

Clay,   buff,  gray  3 

i  overed 

Extending  south  from  the  fool  of  the  bluff  is  a  terrace  which  passes 
into  the  general  level  of  the  valley  flat  without  any  sharp  line  of  demar 
cation.  The  surface  of  the  terrace  is  slightly  rolling  and  is  from  10  to  IS 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  valley  flat.  A  spring  zone  just  smith  of  the 
road  near  the  east  end  of  the  gravel  excavations  probably  indicates  the 
in])  of  the  Porters  Creek  at  that  place. 

LITHOLOGIC  CHARACTER  AND  THICKNESS 

Because  of  the  limited  number  of  outcrops  of  the  Porters  ('reek  it  is 
impossible  to  state  the  character  of  the  deposit  as  a  whole.  However 
the  light  and  dark  gray  clay  exposed  is,  to  all  outward  appearances, 
similar  in  physical  properties  to  the  gray  and  dark  gray  fuller's  earth 
at  Olmstead  and  in  the  Parm  deposit.  A  water  well  drilled  on  the 
race  adjacent  to  the  bluff  where  the  gravel  pits  occur  is  reported  to  have 
penetrated  40  feet  of  gray  clay,  suggesting  that  at  least  -10  feet  of  the 
.''orters  Creek  formation  is  present.  What  part  of  this  is  valuable  as 
fuller'-  earth  cannot  Ik-  told  without  testing- 

OVERBURDEN 

The  overburden  on  the  terrace,  which  would  doubtless  be  the  site 
of  the  mine  were  the  deposit  worked,  consists  principally  of  silt  and.  near 
the  bluff,  of  -and  and  some  gravel  wasli  from  the  bluff.  In  places  the 
overburden  on  the  terrace  is  probably  less  than  3  feet  thick;  elsewhere 
it  may  average  5  or  6  feet. 


I  I    I  I. IK  S     EARTH     (>!■     I'l   I. ASM     C'OI    VI  V 


25 


EXTENT  OF  'I'll  E  DEPOSIT 

The  deposil  probably  extends  in  the  terrace  east  and  west  of  the 
gravel  pit  for  a  considerable  distance.  However,  there  are  no  data  to 
indicate  its  exact  extent. 


□ 

T    E   R    R    A   C    E 


VALLEY 


FLAT 


o 


CITY 


O  F 


MOUNDS 


Scale 


£  mile 


Fig.  8.     Sketch  map  of  the  Mounds  deposit 
SAMPLES 

In  order  to  test  that  part  of  the  deposit  which  was  exposed  two 
samples  were  taken.  No.  87  from  the  basal  three  feet  of  light  gray  fuller's 
earth  and  No.  88  from  the  upper  dark  bed.  Both  samples  have  a  higher 
specific  volume  than  the  Olmstead  fuller's  earth,  but  the  apparent  acidity 
is  slightly  lower  (p.  29).  These  tests  may  indicate  that  the  earth  would 
absorb  less  oil  than  the  Olmstead  earth  but  would  be  somewhat  less 
efficient  as  a  bleaching  agent.  It  should  be  noted,  however,  that  only 
the  upper  six  feet  of  the  deposit  was  tested,  and  that  below  this  the 
deposit  may  be  similar  in  quality  to  that  at  Olmstead. 

PROSPECTING    AND    TESTING 

It  is  recommended  that  a  procedure  similar  to  that  outlined  for  the 
Parm  deposit,  with  reference  to  test-drilling  and  topographic  maps,  be 
followed  for  the  Mounds  deposit. 


26  fuller's  earth  or   PULASKI   COUNTY 

MINING 

The  details  of  mining  can  best  be  worked  out  alter  the  test-drilling. 
The  plant  could  probably  he  located  on  the  valley  flat,  either  on  on. 
the   switch  yard   tracks   of  the   Illinois   Central    Railroad   or   on    a    short 
spur. 

The  Watson  Deposit 

location,  description  of  region  and  deposit 

This  deposit  is  located  on  the  Watson  farm  in  the  SE.  Y\  >ec-  36, 
T.  15  S..  R.  1  W.  (fig.  1).  The  exposure  of  Porters  Creek,  thought  to 
be  fuller's  earth,  occurs  in  a  small  valley  approximately  at  the  center  of 
the  W.  Yz  SE.  J4  °f  the  section.  This  valley  is  one  of  a  number  which 
dissect  the  region  into  a  series  of  long  sweeping  hills,  and  is  part  of  a 
drainage  system  which  extends  southeast  from  sec.  36. 

LITHOLOGIC    CHARACTER    AND    THICKNESS 

The  exposure  of  Porters  Creek  consists  of  about  3  feet  of  buff -gray 
clay,  possessing  the  general  physical  properties  of  the  upper  buff  or  gray 
earth  at  Olmstead  and  the  Parm  deposit.  The  outcrop  is  covered  above 
and  below  by  loess.  However,  at  the  Watson  residence  about  a  half  mile 
east,  a  water  well  penetrated  the  following  formations: 

Log  of  Watson  well 

Thickne>~ 
Feet 

Soil - 16 

Gravel  1 

Soapstonc,  gray  35  - 

Bottom  of  well 

The   soapstone  bed  mentioned  is  doubtless  the   Porters   Creek. 

OVERBURDEN 

The  above  well  log  gives  an  idea  of  the  character  and  thickness  ol 
the  overburden  at  one  place.  However,  because  of  the  irregularity  of  the 
topography,  it  is  impossible  to  give  similar  figures  for  the  deposit  as  a 
whole.  It  is  probably  less  than  three  feet  in  places,  and  back  in  the 
hills  away  from  the  outcrop  it  may  be  well  over  thirty  feet.  Part  of  the 
Overburden  will  be  found  to  be  loess;  the  rest  probably  gravel,  sand,  and 
clay  "I   the   Lafayette  and  Lagrange  formation-. 

EXTENT  OF  THE  DEPOSIT 

Tlic  distance  between  the  outcrop  noted  and  the  Watson  well  is 


M   I  I. Ik's    EARTH    OF    PULASKI    COUNTY  27 

about  a  half  mile,  and  therefore  the  deposit  can  be  assumed  to  have  at 
least  that  extent. 

SAM  PLE 

Sample  No.  122  was  taken  from  the  3-foot  outcrop  of  Porters  Creek. 
The  specific  volume  of  the  sample  is  but  slightly  less  than  that  of  the 
Olmstead  earth  and  its  absorption  of  oil  may,  therefore,  be  about  the 
.same.     Its  apparent  acidity  is  slightly  greater  than  some  of  the  <  >lmstead 

samples. 

PROSPECT!  m;    AND   TEST]  Mi 

It  is  recommended  that  the  same  general  plan  of  prospecting  and 
testing  outlined  For  the  Parm  deposit  be  undertaken  for  this  deposit,  with 
the  additional  suggestion  that  test-holes  be  located  so  as  to  prove  that 
part  of  the  deposit  where  the  overburden  is  less  than  25  feet  thick.  The 
location  of  successive  tests  will  he  governed  by  data  from  preceding 
tests. 

MINING 

The  procedure  to  be  followed  in  mining  cannot  be  outlined  without 
data  on  the  character  of  the  deposit.  Inasmuch  as  the  deposit  is  located 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  west  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  at  Villa 
Ridge  and  the  intervening  country  is  hilly,  it  might  be  desirable  to  haul 
the  fuller's  earth  by  truck  or  wagon  to  a  mill  located  along  the  railroad  at 
Villa  Ridge.  A  grave]  road  to  V" ilia.  Ridge  lies  along  the  north  line  of 
section  2  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  north  of  the  outcrop  described. 


SAMPLING  AND  TESTING 

Sampling 

In  sampling  a  fuller's  earth  deposit  all  weathered  material  was  re- 
moved from  an  area  about  two  feet  wide  and  the  height  of  the  exposure. 
From  all  parts  of  this  area  equal  amounts  of  clay  were  taken  to  make  up 
a  30-pound  sample.  The  sample  was  placed  in  a  cement  sack  and  labeled 
with  the  location  of  the  deposit  and  a  sample  number  for  reference. 

Testing 

Inasmuch  as  it  was  impossible  to  obtain  even  approximately  repre- 
sentative samples  from  the  undeveloped  deposits  because  they  are  of 
such  limited  vertical  extent,  no  bleaching  tests  were  made.  Two  simple 
tests  were  made,  however,  for  comparison  with  samples  of  the  earth 
being    mined    at    Olmstead  and  elsewhere  in  the  United  States.     The 


28  fuller's  earth  of  pulaski  county 


results  obtained  are  not  absolute  and   should  be  considered  as  merely 
suggestive. 

TEST    FOR   SPECIFIC   VOLUME 

The  specific  volume  of  a  clay  is  the  weight  of  a  unit  volume  of  finely 
ground  clay,  compacted  as  much  as  possible,  expressed  as  specific 
gravity,  or  pounds  per  cubic  foot.  The  specific  volume  was  determined 
for  two  sizes  of  earth  ;  that  passing  a  20-mesh  and  retained  on  a  40-mesh 
screen,  and  that  passing  a  60-mesh  and  retained  on  a  100-mesh  screen. 
Each  sample  was  thoroughly  dried  and  then  placed  in  a  small  Erienmeyer 
flask  of  known  volume  and  weight.  The  flask  was  tapped  on  a  table  until 
it  would  hold  no  more  earth.  It  was  then  weighed  and  the  weight  of 
the  earth  determined  by  subtracting  the  weight  of  the  flask  from  the  total 
weight. 

In  regard  to  the  value  of  specific  volume  determinations  Parsons 
says,  "The  volume  occupied  by  a  definite  weight  of  fuller's  earth  is  of 
importance  as  affecting  the  number  of  times  a  filter  press  must  be  opened 
for  a  given  quantity  of  earth  and  also  in  determining  the  size  of  measure 
to  use  in  adding  the  earth  to  the  oil."  Shearer,  discussing  specific  vol- 
ume measurements  made  as  outlined  above  states,  "It  was  found  that, 
allowing  for  errors  in  the  rather  rough  methods  used,  the  absorption  of 
oil  by  an  earth  varies  inversely  as  the  density."7 

TEST   FOR   APPARENT    ACIDITY 

This  test  was  made  by  titrating  two  grams  of  fuller's  earth  in  sus- 
pension in  100  cc.  of  water  with  N/10  sodium  hydroxide  solution,  using 
phenolphthalein  as  an  indicator.  The  result  is  expressed  as  the  amount 
of  sodium  hydroxide  necessary  to  produce  a  "neutral"  condition  in  a 
suspension  of  100  grams  of  clay  in  water.  This  test  does  not  indicate  that 
the  fuller's  earth  actually  has  any  acid  properties,  but  merely  indicates 
the  power  of  the  earth  to  absorb  bases.  Concerning  the  importance  of 
this  test  Parsons  says,  "Although  it  should  lie  noted  that  the  bleaching 
power  is  not  proportional  to  the  degree  of  'acidity'  it  is.  however,  a  strik- 
ing fact  that  those  earths  which  show  by  this  test  the  highest  absorptive 
power  for  bases,  are  also  those  which  have  the  strongest  bleaching 
power."8 

TESTS   ON    CLAVs    FROM    ALEXANDER,    MASSAC     VND    PULASKI    COUNTIES 

In  table  1.  which  follows,  are  given  the  results  of  tests  made  OD 
southern  Illinois  clays  and  fuller's  earths.  Some  of  these  have  already 
been  described  in  the  text;  a  description  of  the  others  follows  the  tabic-. 


a  Parsons,  C.   L.,   Puller's  earth:     U.  S.   Bur.   Mines,   Bull    71.  i>    SO,   L918. 

j  Shearer,   H.    K  .    The   bauxite   and    fuller's   earth   "i    the   coastal   plain   "f  Georgw 

ieol    Survey  of  G -gria    Bull    31,  p.   157,  1!'17. 

-  Parsons,   C.    L    I  >i>    elt,   p 


FULLERS    EARTB    OF    PULASKI   COUNTY 


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FULLERS    EARTH    OF    PULASKI    CO!        i 


TESTS   ON    FULLERS    EARTHS    NOT    IX    SOUTHERN    ILLINOIS 

Table  2  gives  the  results  of  iests,  similar  to  those  in  table  1,  which 
have  been  made  on  fuller's  earths  foreign  to  Illinois.  It  is  of  interest  to 
note  that  analyses  of  Illinois  earths  compare  quite  favorably  with  the 
analyses  of  earth-  shown  in  table  -'.  except  fur  the  high  apparent  acidity 
of  the  Georgia  earth,  and  the  high  specific  volume  of  the  English  and 
Arkansas  earths. 


Table  2. — Tests  on  fuller's  earths   other  than   these   found   in   Illinois" 


Locality 


England  (IXL  brand  | 
Georgia   (Pikes   Peak 
brand) 

Ellenton,  Fla.       

Klondike,  Ark. 

Summerville,  Tex. 
Vacaville,    Cal.     


Specific  volume 
Lbs.  per  cu.  ft. 


75 

40 
36 
75 
61 
51 


Apparent  acidity 

cc.   N/10  XaOH  per  100 

grams  of  fuller's  earth 


60 

230 

30 
65 

120 
0.0 


((Parsons,   C.   L.,   Fuller's   earth:      U.    S.    Bur.    Mines,    Hull.    71.    p.    ::i-.:l'.    1913. 


DESCRIPTION    OF    SAMPLES    TESTED     \XI)    NOT    PREVIOUSLY     MENTIONED 

Sample  No.  24,   Elco  gravel  pit  of  Internationl  Silica  Company,   E 
sec.  7,  T.  14  S.,  R.  1  W.  Sample  of  white,  cherty  clay  from  the  west 
face  of  the  east  pit. 

Sample  39  i>  taken  from  an  outcrop  of  3  feet  of  gray  clay  exposed  in 
Miami  Hollow,  about  half  a  mile  east  of  the  south  end  of  the  powder 
plant  at  Fayville,  in  the  E.  ) ..  sec.  27,  T.  15  S..  R.  3  W.  It  would  be 
practically  impossible  to  obtain  any  quantity  of  this  clay  except  by 
underground  mining,  inasmuch  as  the  overburden  i-  very  heavy  and 
this   is   the   lowest    formation   exposed   in   the    \  alley. 

Sample  38  i-  taken  from  a  4-foot  bed  of  drab  gra)  cla\  lying  7  feet  above 
sample  39  al  the  same  location.  Between  it  and  the  bed  from  which 
sample  39  was  taken  are  6  feet  of  clayey  -and  underlain  by  one  foot 
of   ferruginous   conglomerate.      The   overburden   on    Sample   38   is 


FULLER'S    EARTH    OF    hi. asm    county  31 

heavy  and  underground  mining  would  be  necessary  to  obtain  the 
clay  in  any  quantity. 

Sample  92  was  obtained  from  the  southernmost  clay  pit  of  a  series  of 
pits  located  about  half  a  mile  south  of  Round  Knob  near  the  center 
of  sec.  2,  T.  IS  S.,  1\.  4  E.     The  section  in  this  vicinity  is  as  follows: 

Thickness 
Feet 

Loess  -     3  to  20 

Conglomerate,    brown   chert   yi  to  2 

Sand,   rod,   locally  cemented   to  sandstone 2  to  7 

Clay,  huff   (Sample  92)   20+ 


R'S" 

LIBRARY  BINDERS 

507  3.  Goodwin 

UrbanB.nL 


